2009.11.03
Analysis: Republicans take back the suburbs
There's the old expression: Stick a fork in it, it's done. But let's not just stick a fork in it, let's take a knife, too, and cut this one open.
Here's one of the most salient facts of the night: The Republicans have taken back the suburbs.
I said earlier to pay attention to Loudoun County and Prince William County, once reliably Republican but more recently Democratic. Tonight, they're both back in the R column in a big way.
McDonnell is taking 61 percent of the vote in Loudoun; 59 percent in Prince William.
And it's not out of the question that he'll carry Fairfax, either. Right now, Deeds is winning there, but not by much -- about 2 percentage points.
Another Democratic-trending suburb has flipped back to the Republicans: McDonnell is taking 56 percent of the vote in Henrico.
Both parties will have a lot to dissect out of this race, but one lesson is the same for both: To win in Virginia, you have to win in the suburbs.
-- Dwayne Yancey, senior editor
OTHER ELECTION ANALYSIS:
* Analysis: The most expensive governor's race ever
* Analysis: Where we'll be looking tonight
* Analysis: How many House seats will change hands tonight?
* Analysis: The biggest winning margin since . . .
* Analysis: The polls close; here's what's coming . . .
* Analysis: The saddest sight I've seen in politics
* Analysis: The first precinct reports in
* Analysis: An early return from Henrico County
* Analysis: A closer look at McDonnell's lead
* Analysis: McDonnell winning places that Democrats did four years ago
* Analysis: Henry County flips to McDonnell
* Analysis: Deeds running weaker in Northern Virginia
* Analysis: How Deeds did it -- a counter-factual look at McDonnell's victory
* Analysis: Three reasons why Obama hurt Deeds
* Analysis: Three reasons why Obama didn't matter
* Analysis: Are sweeps common or rare in Virginia?
We have complete results here.
